Beevers scores magnificent try in Rhinos Grand Final defeat

Caitlin Beevers races away from the Wigan defence to score the Rhinos third try in the Women's Super League Grand Final

Published:10:27Monday 15 October 2018

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Caitlin Beevers produced a magnificent performance in the Women’s Super League Grand Final last Saturday as Leeds Rhinos suffered a heartbreaking last-gasp defeat to Wigan Warriors.

The 17-year-old former Dewsbury Moor and Birstall Victoria player capped a superb individual display by scoring a terrific solo try but it was Wigan who ended the Rhinos dreams of completing the treble.

The Rhinos hit back from 16-6 down to level the scores and would probably have won had Courtney Hill’s touchline conversion not been narrowly off target.

But they conceded back-to-back penalties after that, the second of them for offside in front of their own posts and Wigan’s Charlotte Foley kept her nerve to kick the winning goal.

It was a tough way to lose, particularly in the biggest game of the season, but Wigan scored four tries, all unconverted, to three and were the better team for the first 65 minutes before Leeds finally started to play.

Rhinos finished a point clear of second-placed Wigan in the league table and beat them in a semi-final on their way to winning the Challenge Cup, but the Grand Final result meant it was two wins each in all competitions.

Leeds showed late on they have got Wigan’s measure when they play well, but they were below-par for too long.

Rhinos like to play attacking rugby and they failed to cope with the blustery conditions, making far too many mistakes.

They defended well, but so did Wigan who had the game’s two outstanding players in full-back Rebecca Greenfield and three-try centre Rachel Thompson Errors meant Rhinos were unable to put Wigan under sustained pressure

Woman of Steel nominee Lois Forsell — who missed out on the award to another Dewsbury Moor player, Georgia Roche of Castleford Tigers —— had to watch the play-off games and the Grand Final from the touchlines.

Playing against a strong wind in the first half, Rhinos opened the scoring, but went in at the break 8-6 down after conceding twice from goal line drop outs.

Most of the play was in Leeds’ half and Beevers had to make a try-saving tackle inside the opening minute following a break by Wigan’s Vanessa Temple.

Marshall started at hooker in place of Forsell and twisted over from acting-half to open the scoring after seven minutes, Courtney Hill converting.

But the gale took the restart dead in goal and Wigan hit back through Thompson, who finished strongly off Gemma Walsh’s pass.

There was no conversion, but a series of handling errors kept Rhinos pinned in their own half and it took superb defence by Beevers and Madison Laverick, who crashed Michelle Davis into touch by the corner flag, to keep Wigan out at the end of the opening quarter.

Wigan went close again after Suze Hill spilled the ball on the first tackle.

Wigan moved the ball wide, but Hanna Butcher got across to shove opposite number Walsh over the sideline.

It looked like Rhinos had done enough to lead at the interval, but Wigan hit them with an identical try to their opener, on the stroke of half-time.

Frankie Townend was trapped in goal from Lucy Baggeley’s kick and following the drop out Walsh put Thompson over for her second try.

Sophie Robinson made a brilliant tackle to deny George Wilson a try at the start of the second half but Wigan’s pressure told on 46 minutes when Walsh fed Rebecca Greenfield and her pass put Wilson over.

When Walsh sent Thompson in for her hat-trick on the hour mark it looked all over, but Beevers’ moment of magic got Leeds back in it.

Beevers took a quick tap after a Wigan kick had rolled dead and out-paced the defence on a spectacular sprint to the line.

Courtney Hill added the extras and Leeds levelled the match in stoppage time when her pass was finished by Suze Hill only for Wigan to break the Rhinos hearts with a last-gasp match winning penalty.

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